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Class. 
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C^OMEU^^ 



ON THE GREAT 





CA}{ U^t^ 



TRI-PARTY WAR 



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1861 and lii2. 



Copyright secured, by R. Ckomelien, an<Lentered according to law of Congress. 




WASHINGTON; 
1862. 



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THE -^ ' 



GREAT REBELLION TRI-PARTY ¥AR! 



L»OOK, BEFER^ a.nd. REFI^ECT back to the pa>»t iiia.ny YEARS^ 
stud CONTRAST witb 1861. 



The many Brilliant Victories achieved by the no second Military 
Chieftain in the World, for whom History has renowned a reputation 
in the name of WINFIELD SCOTT, late Major General of the United 
States Army, as no parallel a tirst class Engineer for such purposes. 
Truly was it said that the monarchs oy the old world envied our 
veteran General, and unhesitatingly pronounced him the first Military 
Scientific Soldier then in the land, especially after the Successful 
(• Campaign at Vera Cruz, on the CASTLE OF SAN JUAN DE ULUA, 

&:c. To every American heart, and those of this adopted hemisphere, the 
name of this Hero vibrated in all their arteries as a pillab of rock for 
strength^ and impenetrable for the bulwark of our National Defences. 
Such was my feeling, opinion, and sentiment that in him, by our side, we 
feared not the combination op all the world. But what has been 
the result of his experience in an unholy war, forced upon us for the 
balance of power? Certainly it will not be said that he is in his dotage,, 
for he has been the constant counsel of this war with this Administration 
from its beginning. Therefore it must be something else. Can it 
possibly be that we have been mistaken in our veteran American General^ 
or deceived in his Loyalty? I WOULD SAY — NO! but that there is 
a screw loose somewhere in its general character, admits, in my humble 
opinion, of little doubt. Either INTEREST, SOUTHERN SYMPA- 
THIZING FOR OR AGAINST SLAVERY, "NATIVE STATE," 
LUKEWARM TO THE .C^USE OF THE ADMINISTRATION, OR 
IMBECILITY OF THE (|||^SEST KIND, must be concluded on as 
self-manifest, for the hereai^^^llowing reasons and explanations : 

HOW ] N T E REST I N ( jf|p i ^) Are the Photograph Pictures of the 
SAGE OF LUNDY'S LANE^^th Charts, and surrounded by all his 
other generals in council jSSmbled ! Its electric effect to the 
many produced nothing else but ^ifidence in the hero for prompt result 
in terminating the war. Every American heart was believed to be in the 
cause, pouring in its strength of first call three months' men, which 
here need not be Commented upon, but sufficient was proven by the result 
of the opening Campaign and Bathes to show that its main First-Class 
Generals and officers were sympj^Sthizers with the Sesesh principles, 
while our privates were as brave as steel, but sacrificed. 

After the Fall of FORT SUMPTER I addressed a letter of date 31st 

*./ [ ' .' /.May, 1 861, to General Scott, (see letter B, as referred to by letter A,) recom- 

' .',' ■'. 'mendirj^,' to Kim pr?cticable means for Virginia Coast Defence, but the 

said letter and its plan, ao that time, received no attention. Our disasters 

','; '"j '' • ..were, nevertheless, irorj raferred cause, evidently great; still our brave men 

'•' •'.*' '' ''9f ,^^*^ Union :]ever faltered, but on call for 500,000 more men, they soon 

' ' ' pr'esented themselves vo defend, with their lives, the STARS and STRIPES 

as the ONE Union, unde'- only one Constitution. During which time what 

begins to evince itself? We begin to hear reports after reports that the 

Rebels are erecting batteries on the Potomac, and continuing doing 



V' 



3 

so, UNINTERRUPTED by the celebrated General, until nearly the whole 
RIVER AND BAYS were made (and all the way to Richmond) equal to 
an IRON-BOUND SHORE of FORTIFICATIONS, he seated on his 
velvet-cushioned chair, with locked arms, looking on like a spec- 
tator IN Venice, without making or even an attempt to check it. The 
daily bulletins of the various .journals kept the mind of the people 
staring at each other v/hy this ffjf was so openly and silently tolerated. 
Finally it was announced that said valuable stream, for transportation 
use, was unsafe for navigation. This continuance begun to be the 
MARK OF SEVERE CRITICISM for the Several leading newspapers, and of 
its reporters, until it was openly expressed by, many that doubt existed 
as to tl^e General's loyalty, on which much was said, serious doubts 
expressed, and harsh was the type expounded on him, for it was hardly 
reasonable to believe, and to satisfy our Union people, that so saga- 
cious A General and Engineer would allow an enemy such unlimited 
privilege, when he had it at his command and power to attempt, or to make 
the attempt, to stop it. Thus by him it must have been considered unim- 
portant, while the people saw different, AND ON HIM THE GREAT 
RESPONSIBILITY LAYS FOR THE DISASTERS. 

The war was progressing. It was announced that the said General 
Winfield Scott would take the command in person on the Battle Fields 
to Richmond; that his traveling tents and baggage train were getting 
ready and made for such purpose. . Such had a great good effect on our 
constituents and the main army, but W'Here did the General ever take 
command? Certainly not when our valuable navigable streams on 
this Virginia Coast, where nearly GUN closed upon us! Then the 
Hero of Battles becomes seriously indisposed to take command of the 
Field in Person, and as many aspirants were in the field whose names 
for such opening were mentioned for said valuable and honorable 
POSITION— that was soon after GENERAL McCLELLAN'S WESTERN 
VIRGINIA SUCCESSES— that our veteran old hero QUICKLY recom- 
mends and APPOINTS him as the suitable and and only fit and reliable 
Military Chieftain to take command of the Army of the United 
States, and which met the cordial approval of the voices of our people, 
but disappointed many others who claimed to be more entitled. Thus 
for a while he was Chief in command — as General of the whole army of 
the United States — the said Winfield Scott being recommended, by 
medical advisers, to a tour to Europe \for his cures. (I believe we 
have, and had at that time, as valuable medical aid in this country as 
elsewhere.) Especially at a time whe'n every true American mind, 
JUDGMENT, or OPINION might be wanted on the Fields of Battle, while 
our military campaigns were progressing, " instead of being away." 
In more than one conversational debate that was had by me on all this 
absorbing topic, I have been replied that Scotland was sold for a Grot, 
and Ireland for a Farthing a man to England ; that our once happy and 
ff7-eat country, from its present State of different political interests, 
may also have been sold or transferred without our knowing it, as the LOVE 
OF PECULATION, SPECULATION, PROCRASTINATION, and 
FRAUDS, CONNECTED with HEAVY CONTRACTS for the making 
of money out of it that has developed itself thus far since the cornmence- 
ment of the war, and which is said to be enormous ;. HOWEVER, IF 
EVEN TRUE, OR IN PART, » I DO NOT BELIEVE SUCH DOC- 
TRINE AS IN THE BREAST OF AMERICANS." Nevertheless, 
Brigadier General W^ilcox's responsible speech, on the 18th instant, 
has a good deal of just cause for his remarks, and which I fully endorse. 
Why was not that published in full ? How can our brave men in the 
field and Union survive if such corrupt diseases is seated in the breasts of 



those who should be our guardians ? In that undertaking — "On to Rich- 
mond," there was not to have been, could not have been, and should not 
have been any such word as "FAIL!" Pleas for excuses in these late 
instances, from so celebrated a young General, " is not my style " 
and all skill for judgment is now baffled. The said Hero of olden 
Fame did sail to Europe, and return^ unexpectedly early as a hasty 
PLATE OF SOUP EXPEDITION. PerhaP|^as I have heard it said, it was 
for making a permanent investment on the other side — the secret of 
THIS IS hardly to BE EVER KNOWN — while Others say it was a Govern- 
ment MOVE to head ofif Mason and Slidell. His sickness was of no 
long duration, but for enough to accomplish his ends. No doubt, 
somewhat Gouty, and, from his weight and style of wine-livino, a trip 
could be good to him as well as to any of us. How much Yellow 
madder or how little accompanied his ship is a question. 

I have heard it repeatedly said, during the winter of the closing block- 
ade of the Potomac, that the celebrated, now retired General, had 

SAND thrown in HIS EYES BY THE RAILROAD INTEREST of OUr adjoining 

States, and that it was told him that the blockading of the Potomac was 
a farce, and of no importance, as we had all the main arteries open 
for the army use, ready for the transporting of all the Government's 
wants by our railroads; HE, PERHAPS, WAS TRULY DECEIVED 
in this by designing men. True, indeed, to advantage, could such 
effect be brought to bear on the mind of this old General, but his sagacity 
as a Patriotic, all-loving, loyal Unionist should have seen and pre- 
vented such interruption as was going on the Potomac, and of which he 
Avas advised. If that is the American heart and character, then I 

am ready to admit that I AM MISTAKEN IN MY COUNTRY. InDEED HAVE 

THE RAILROAD INTEREST Carried on a profitable harvest, to the cost of our 
nation, by their accomplishing this scheme of carrying trade, while for 
THE Secesh FEELING HERE and the Old Dominion State, it accomplished 
EXACTLY THEIR ENDS, by giving time to place guns at all points. 
Not alone one half of all the cost of its transportation by steamers from 
Boston, New York, and Philadelphia would have been saved to the 
people of this Government, but the citizens of the District of Columbia 
and Washington City would have had much of the necessities of life 
for ONE half they had to pay during said time. QUERRY. — It should 
be properly known how much the Government had to pay to said SOUL- 
LESS CORPORATIONS for its freights and military travelling 
FARE. This, as I have heard it said, accounts, and has induced the once 
celebrated Hero of Battles TO RESIGN, with the saying that his 
ILL health and advanced age, and having now placed his PET in 
command, that he might live in the SHADES the balance of his days in 
QUIETUDE. 

A CABINET COUNSELLOR, " SIMON," pure may be— of famous 
financial and Senatorial celebrity as the prompter, whose scheming mind 
to make money is well known — as the Quaker said, " Honestly, if you 
can, by all means. Soon after he fashionably resigns, to avoid telling 
tales, and is sent as a servant to KAMSCHATKA. That the heavy Rail- 
road and Iron Interest is colleaguedgwithgthis, my future letters to the Re- 
'puhlican Cabinet Administ7'ation will fully sufiice ; and read with marked 
notice and care. 

It was often said that the venerable Hero of Battles — a native of 
Virginia's Sacred Soil, that he could not battle against it, although 
his estate in Virginia confiscated and temporary lost, knowing well that 
hereafter such would be remunerated for, and by such resignation he ac- 
complished the feeling oj:' the leaders of Sesesh and the State of his na- 
tivity ; and now that his successor slow pupil is in command with the 



■flower of an army unequalled, purse and sword, with the nation to back 
HIM, that instead of on to victory, for- the Capital, Richmond, he makes 
masterly engineering and scientific military safe retreats to Acquia Creek, 
near Washington, his starting place with his large remnant of army, that 
has fought brilliantly when at close quarters, like accidently, as at a gym- 
nasium, when drawing the claret while sparring with boxing gloves. Thus 
VIRGINIA IS SO FAR SA\»SD FROM BEING CONQUERED. It 
has been a SLAUGHTERING HOUSE TRI-PARTY WAR, or of as a 
mother's wild goose chase in an eddy. Perhaps it was NEVER IN- 
TENDED then to qo into Richmond. For that cause is it not likelv that 
the FOREIGN PRINCES, OFFICERS then in the UNITED STATES 
SERVICE, returned to EUROPE, they seeing through it? We have- a 
right to draw our own inferences from result. Why were not in any case 
the SIEGE GUNS ready for operation as the s.([vanQ,Q picket guard, or 
other more effective uses, when such a desperate enemy enc/irdles our army 
and Union, at important moments, when on to Richmond ? Such could 
have been done, and to-day the victory would have been ours ; but 
was always too late, or hardly ever got into position for action, except at 
nearly, and only waiting for the foe to evacuate. From a Tri-Party war, 
which I term this, you American loyal Union citizen can expect no better 
now than ruin to our involved nation, as well as to all of us individually, 
for the reason of a Government without power, and want of Unity 
and Harmony on the GREAT AMERICAN QUESTION among many 
of the Generals and Officers of the ivhole Army, they being dictated by 
the different political wire-pullers. This I claim to say, and in ray opinion 
is the ESTABLISHED FACT that, but for the course p)ur sued of toleration in 
having our Potomac, Bays, and James River Blockaded, even as it 
was, that our VIRGINIA PENINSULA war, abandonment, and FAIL- 
URE, with its great SACRIFICE of LIFE, TIME, and MONEY, is wholly 
attributa.hle to the great error of one of the most renowned Generals 
said to be living in this age, and by his neglect of using even moderate 
activitv to prevent such, gave the rebels all the advantage they required for 
this purpose, and which they SCIENTIFICALLY ACCOMPLISHED 
.for their cause, to our great injury. My letter of 31 May, 1861, would 
have prevented this, and my comment, as hereafter will be read with 
deliberation, as published in the National Rejyuhlican, on May 27, 1862, 
and fully carries out its result, to the present time, which I say could have 
been entirely avoided, by which our Nation are verj' heavy and serious 
sufferers, while our NATIONALITY for STRENGTH and FAME is 
SHAKEN. Such never was expected from one in whom PROVIDENCE 
had CROWNED with so many brilliant victorious Battles and Lau- 
rels, to DESERT his POST in TIME of NEED, as but any clever mili- 
tary engineer, even an ordinary-sighted General would have seen to it 
in its early undertaking, and applied means to have prevented our foes 
from accomplishing their purposes. THE ERROR — FOR WE 
MUST TERM IT SO— is UNPARDONABLE. Thus we are compelled 
to a renewal over the same ground for BATTLING FOR OUR UNION 
AND CONSTITUTION with a new call of about SEVEN HUNDRED 
THOUSAND MEN, with nearly a year's loss of time, in which no good 
has been accomplished as yet. That we might say, or we should have been 
able to say, we see the FINALE OF THIS AMERICAN REBELLION. 
I DO NOT SEE IT NOW, although were near seeing it when within five 
miles from Richmond. I believe now only LEGISLATIVE DEBATE 
and CONGRESSIONAL HARMONY will accomplish the great desire. 
Furthermore, if our twenty mllions, as it is called, that we have of 
PEOPLE, were opposed to my views, alleging that from circumstances, or 
the want of anything, or otherwise ; that if those in command for 



the American Union cause had the true and sincere determination at 
heart in the vigoroitsly prosecuting of this War to a speedy finale, they 
could and would have engineered very diflferent with our Navy and 
Armies, which vies with the WORLD, and of our neio sciences brought 
to bear, and of our innumerable resources, could have captured and 
taken such one-horse cities as Charleston, Savannah, or Richmond. 
Therefore I say the then Northern false American Democracy, as South- 
ern treasoners, sympathizers, and many in arms, never intended to subjugate 
the South for the wrongs on our Bunting Flag, Star of the West, Fort 
Sumpter, treason, and piracy, as it is understood by the just, true-sense 
reading of the words, as is laid down in our catechism in the Constitu- 
tion, nor is it for the Nigger, but is partyism, to control the balance of 
power, and by which to have gained time for the intention of remodeling 
the Constitution of the United States for the whole Union, for now it is a 
paralyzed party without power for the want of the other part of the 
same party, our, or my principle, Old-Line Whig, is for the Sacred Union 
as it was, but without extension of slavery in a Rejyubllcan Democratic Gov- 
ermnent^ and on no terms of compromise now to that end, which is hu- 
manity, philanthropy, and no money in owv jiocJcets, But at what an 
awful sacrifice of life have they, to advance their ends aimed at, brought 
us into ! Leaving yreenhacks out of the question, it was whole hog or 
die — LocoFOCO rule or ruin political party doctrine, in secret combina- 
tion, well weighed and by timely understanding, to accomplish their pur- 
pose, on which further light may hereafter develop itself. To me, the 
different bearings of this matter for debate can be no more disguised, but 
as hence onward the whole nation will be in for ONE WAR OF ONE 
UNION to a speedy and brilliant achieved end, and such will be accom- 
plished, as was in the days of 1776, for if there is a WILL, there is a WAY. 

With the utmost veneration and respect to the past bravest of the brave of 
Generals, although still living, which life and health I pray for he may 
enjoy yet for many years to come, that if 1 err, or they have erred, 
that the same is only from the heart, and from no other cause, that this is 
thus our present condition. 

In conclusion say, may HOPE, FAITH, and CHARITY be extended 
over all those that. this article may pinch too tight; if treason in any such 
breathes or existed in their hearts, that I hope hereafter that but one only 
Loyal Amrrican sentiment and action will be pursued to a speedy 
termination of our domestic, large-family quarrel. 

ROWLAND CROMELIEN. 



(A.) 

From the National Republican, Washington, Ajyril 25, 1862. 

HONOR AND REWARD THOSE WHERE MERIT IS DUE, is 
a just and true principle; the old adage of saying is, after the horse is 
stolen from your stable, that then you will lock it more secure, is very 
appropriate to the case just brought to light; for after a lapse of eleven 
mouths, to the cost of our nation of millions of dollars, then is R. Cro- 
melien's ideas, as addressed by him to General Winfield Scott for Govern- 
ment benefits, in using Bales of Cotton compressed for the rendering of 
vessels Bomb proof, brought out for test and security, v/hich letter will be 
published hereafter with comments. The same is now introduced on 
board Steamer Vanderbilt, at Fortress Monroe, as aid to the Monitor. 
I find, in conversation, that the adviser of the above method is the same 
personage that is now before Congress with an entire new invaluable sys- 
tem for the construction of Railroads, Patented. Having interrogated 



him fully on claims for such, say, as a Citizen, he should have proper at- 
tention, as its success cannot fail, when tested, for the benefit of mankind. 
His models are yet to be seen at the Capitol, in the old Hall of the Housfe 
of Eepresentatives. All interested should examine the same. 

T. H. MERRILL, 
, - Civil jEngineer. 



Philadelphia, May 31, 1861, 
General Winfield Scott, 

Esteemed Sir : During our unfortunate state of National domestic 
troubles, ideas, that might prove valuable from any of our loyal Union 
men, may be of service ; and as one of such, allow me to take the liberty 
to address you, by advancing my plans, to fully repel the fire off from 
land on a Frigate or Sloo'p of War — such as are carrying a Columbiad of 
large calibre or more guns. 

To say, leaving any of our ports for such anticipated object, have one 
or two huudred bales of Cotton, well repressed, on deck, and when within 
five miles of a .rebel battery, come to anchor, and deposit each bale of 
cotton in a formed Bar Iron framed crib, the whole length of the vessel, 
from water line to quarter deck, say, two tiers high, against which the 
enemy rdight fire to no injury on us. By such, our vessels could run up 
near to such batteries, or say, within a mile or two, with perfect security, 
and firing away on such battery. Half an hour of such an engagement 
would silence it, and our vessel, bomb cotton proof, against them, two or 
three of our well-directed shots would disperse them like birds on a prairie. 
To place, construct, and shape said bars of iron, fM»the purpose of hold- 
ing said bales of cotton, have them shaped from ffllove water-line, as by 
drawing herewith exhibited, each piece of iron to be about six feet long, 
secured b}'^ nuts annd bolts to the outside of the vessel, above and below 
the port-holes. These irons a^re really brackets, sustaining therein the bale 
of cotton ; and in case against a fire, a hose at command would extinguish 
it at once ; this, however, would be unlikely to happen, as the engage- 
ment would be short; and if the iron could be broken, veri/ unlikely, or 
the bale of cotton drop in the water, it would not be lost to consumption. 
The ballast can be shifted when getting ready, and placing the cotton on 
the side, so as to be in trim', the iron bracket sustains the bale of cotton 
m the centre of it — it need not be in extraordinary tight — and she "f& 
ball hit the bale of cotton, its force w^ould be allayed or spent ere4t^Jfe- 
trating it. "^ 

In all of this plan of ideas, I am confident it would would.^rove in- 
valuable, especially at the present time, when it becomes necessary to 
enter rivers and bays in possession of our foes. • 

Subscribing myself, 

Your very humble servant, v 

R. CROMELIEX. 



COMMENTS ON THE WAR. 

If the General-in-Chief, commanding then the United States Army, 
and in communication with the Secretary of the Navy, had advanced my 
suggesti<fbs on its receipt at his hands, or by consulting with scientific En- 
gineers and myself, the following good result would have proven : 

1st. That Virginia's sacred soil would not have been the general 
Battle-ground, or have had it invaded by armies ; ' nor could it, or would 



/ 



8 

it have Sesesched out of the Union, as we could have controlled it by our 
Army, up to and in Richmond, retaken or recapturkd the Navy Yard 
Xt Gosport, Norfolk, &c., &c., to have been done immediately after 
the surrender of Fort Sumpter, as they were then unprepared, as was 
the case in Maryland. 

2c?. The Valuable One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Men in arms 
already lost and crippled, including those now on the verge to be sacri- 
ficed, say both sides, is too serious a meditation for reflection and of con- 
templation, it resting upon the responsibility of our Government Offi- 
cers for the LACK of judgment and promptness, thus it would have fol- 
lowed that the present war would have been driven and confined to the 
Gulf States, where the chastisement properly belongs. 

od. Two Hundred and Fifty Millions of Dollars, and it is a low 
estimate, would have been saved to the Union, and its blood, in having 
avoided our troubles in Southern Virginia, for maintaining our army in 
and around it the past Nine Months with doinff^ut little, good, and from 
the reduced rates of all river freights paid, tSen not havmg to contend 
with a blockade of the Potomac and Bays, Fuel at half price, and _ 
provisions for Government use ; Citizens, Military, and Strangers to 
feed — which, put at 300,000 men, as one-fifth l^ss than they have to pay, 
nor our Naval vessels of Fortress Monroe, or our National Armory 
AT Harper's Ferry destroyed. » 

4th. The Speculation or Peculation of buying up all the old East- 
ern Vessels to destroy the same for no sensible good, AS FOR. A 
STONE BLOCKADE, when they could have..-been converted to the sys- 
tem as by me recommended — of which, then, we would have had enough 
vessels, and placed armament on them, with our other first class 
VESSELS of Avar, to have protected fully all our harbors, bays and rivers; 
the old vessels to hajfceen dismantled ofi" the harbors, replaced across 
deck by circular Iron^'ames over the length of the vessel at suitable dis- 
tances apart, and have covered such wjth three-incn iron plates — thus 
making each vessel a perfect battery Fortification, Bomb Cotton 
Proof, with an iron poop deck from stem to stern, anchored. A small 
screw-propelling steam engine might also -have been connected to each 
vessel for available purposes. 

5th. To ME this sight was self evident, when I addressed my letter ; 
and if it had been conducted fts described, I believe this disastrous war 
would by now have been terminated, with or, without all the other new 
m>"'^ern science brought to bear for destruction. A great lack of good 
Gm ^edng is manifest, when we look back to the past ; but it is to be 
to do better for the future, otherwise I may havefmuch more to 
is subject, for which inference my Cabinet letters will answer. 
%IE OF NEED, TO DO THE DEED, IS TO BE PROMPT." 

R. CROMELIEN. 
WASHM>r.GT0N, Ajjvil 27, 1862. 



N. B. — This pamphlet will soon be reissued with about forty additional 
interesting letters by me to this and the past Administration, as also my 
Prayer and Petition to Congress On the PACIFIC RAILROAD, with 
details and my CENSURE. To finals my correspondence with the Crown 
heads of Great Britain, France, Russia, and China. 

The American Revolution is now only beginning to be hoped for soon 
to end in a GRAND REUNION of the WHOLE. ' 

R. C. 

District of Columbia, August 30, 1862. 







LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 





